How did you get on?

[Pete Shears]

A trip this morning to a very coloured and rising river Wreake after the heavy overnight rain - lovely in the sunshine,cooler than yesterday but good to be out.
The first swim I wanted to fish was under water so moved downstream to the next much wider pool where the current is always slower.
Settled in with crust on the hook and liquidised bread in a small cage feeder, I soon had the first bite and landed a chub at 3lb 10oz followed next cast with another chub at 2lb 13oz. A while later a third chub at 1lb 5oz was in the net. Then started to get very fast taps on the tip and changing to worm eventually hooked a pristine dace of about 6oz. As the bites ceased, time for another move but where I wanted to fish was again under water but the only alternative swim was flowing too fast to be practical so turned my attention to a bit of pruning brambles and briars to keep the pathway open.

 

[John Aston]

An opportunity between the last high water and the next big dump of rain . Exploring five swims , some new and some familiar, I caught nowt in the first , a 4 oz perch in the second , a 3-4 perch in the next one , nowt in the next and perch of 3-6 and 2-15 in the final spot . After heavy rain , making me thankful of the brolly I rarely take , it turned into a wonderful fishing day, with very low light , total cloud cover and a lovely sepia coloured sky . Not a breath of wind either .

A good day, even if Mr Chub wasn't taking calls, despite being tempted by my blue cheese paste (which is actually yellow , from the turmeric I use ). Big perch look amazing in the low winter light .

 

[Steve Arnold]

Yesterday will be marked as a "Red Letter Day" in my diary!

The forecast said a possible 17c in the afternoon with a little sunshine. My RiverApp indicated a healthy flow would come from the barrage late afternoon, so I just had to get back to the garden swim where I caught barbel a week ago.

It was 12.30 when I arrived at the river, surprisingly there was still a mist hanging over the water. But there was a good flow from midstream to the far bank, I was getting excited at the afternoons prospects!

At this point I made the decision to fish two rods, a quivertip close in as there might be a chub, my Korum Big Water rod for out in the current.

The quivertip rod took the first fish, a barbel. I decided to unhook that in the water, as is my usual way. Unfortunately I found the layer of silt deposited overnight was VERY slippery and I skated down into the river. I luckily stayed upright and my wellies found some grip on the stones before the deeper water! Deep sigh of relief, release the fish and then attempt to get back up the bank. No way would my boots find a grip and I had to resort to sticking my fingers deep into the bankside to pull myself up!!!!!

So, a difficult start. First mistake out of the way and a reminder to be more careful, the air temperature might be mild but a soaking in December would probably be fatal!

After composing myself I chuck the feeder out again and sit down for a coffee. Of course the feeder rod tip whacks down and I am into another barbel! As I lift that rod the heavy rod has the classic "3 foot twitch" and the baitrunner scream off! So I bully the first fish to the net, pick up the other rod and find a better fish still attached. A good fight and there are two barbel in my net!

Obviously there are plenty of feeding barbel in my swim, no need for two rods. As the flow is increasing I decide to just fish the heavy rod, also my fishing buddy may come down and he can share this swim.

Alistair arrives just as I hook into a 5 pounder. So he gets in a muddle trying to tackle up quickly, we all get that way when the bite is clearly ON!

Despite my frequent advice he insists on fishing two rods, even in difficult conditions. The flow is rapidly increasing as the barrage upstream is letting out a lump of water. Alistair struggles to catch a couple of barbel whilst dealing with the (inevitable!) tangles that come with fishing two rods with lightish weights. Hopefully, as my advice was ignored, the experience will impress on him what he needs to learn!

With the heavy rod I am able to fish a big weight upstream, keeping out of my friends way. Eventually, as the flow increases, I have to use 5 ozs - but these tactics work.

Seven more barbel hooked, including two over 6 pounds. Two of the barbel dropped off at the net as I had to bully them to stop them backing into my buddies lines.

During this four hours fishing the river first dropped about 6" then rose around 18". Now there is a healthy amount of water in the system the upstream barrages and hydro-electric power stations can make fishing quite challenging!

This is the first December in the 5 years I have lived here to deliver me barbel. The water temperature is 11c just now, up 2c in a week. The barbel are making the most of it - and so am I

 

[mikench]

Well done Steve; a perfect Christmas present. Joyeuse fêtes.

 

[Steve Arnold]

Well done Steve; a perfect Christmas present. Joyeuse fêtes.

It's been a good year, despite extremes of weather and river conditions. I was hoping for a carp yesterday, what with the warm weather and rising river temperatures.

But that was probably my best barbel catch for total weight. For such a short session it's pretty wonderful, I know!

Perhaps I should add my final thought on the day - "Better to fish one rod well, than two badly"

Many of the carp anglers I see fishing this river must be more used to the lakes, they often fish up to four rods.

The carp here are very mobile, there may be a large shoal over a wide area. When they move into your swim in feeding mode I have seen more than one rod with a run at the same time. As these are rarely fish of less than double figures, and topping well over 40 lbs, it's not a situation to wish for!

So many rocks and fallen trees you need to concentrate on just one rod, much of the time anyway.

Joyeux Noël to all on FishingMagic

 

[@Clive]

I finally managed to get out today. Little Wife is on the mend and insisted that I get out fishing before the weather turns for the worse. I didn't want to do a full day or travel far in the circumstances so I headed up to one of the two 120 Ha lakes near to where we live. Both lakes have a main body that is used for water extraction and those basins are pretty low. Both also have secondary and in one case thirdery and fourthery basins that do not suffer as much from abstraction. I headed for one of the larger bodies and stepped back into the 1970's with a 13' three-piece fibreglass match rod and 440A Match reel. Fishing maggot on a sliding zoomer in a couple of metres of water proved fruitless. The cross wind was making me cross as I couldn't hold bottom even with a BB and No. 4 shot on the deck. Another nostalic change brought the swing tip rod into action also fruitless.

A change of swims brought the same issues and failings so after my sarnies had been consumed I decamped to the secondary basin of the other lake just 10 minutes away. As you can see I wasn't exactly crowded out. The cross wind proved just as troublesome as did glare from a low sun. The third swim didn't produce, but I saw a small carp surface about 30 metres to my right so that is where I went next.

Double maggot on an 18 to 2.5lb bottom and a 20g groundbait feeder carrying a few passengers finally brought some small roach. I had just got into the swing (tip) of things when my ledger stop departed along with the feeder and hook. As it was nearly 4pm I departed too.

I might get chance to go out again next week, weather depending.

 

[Pete Shears]

Escaped the madness and self induced chaos of Christmas by going to the local reservoir yesterday with the deadbaiting gear. The level had risen but still around two feet short of being full.Three baits cast and sitting back with a coffee watching the sun come up, could not get any owls to respond to my calls,have had up to five tawny owls answering. They seemed to stir up the geese though. No small fish topping but no cormorants, instead eight goosander continually bickering amongst themselves.
Saved a blank having a jack of about four pounds on a silver toby lure and another let go instantly.

 

[jon atkinson]

Working 7 days a week in the run up to Christmas does cause me to go a little stir crazy so despite the blustery conditions making about 7° feel a whole lot colder I grabbed a couple of hours at Pillings lane, Lydiate with the lure rod this afternoon. Landed one between 4 & 5lb on a jointed Perch crank and had a smaller one throw the hook as it was coming to the net. Nothing to get wildly excited about but I was on the bank and didn't blank, which is a win in my book!

 

[@Clive]

Trip out to the River Charente today. About an hour away, but usually worth the journey. Initially I went to a lock where it is possible to trot the weir outflow. However there were two lure anglers working the pool so I drove a short distance to another place where the flow is confined to a narrow channel alongside an island. I put three droppers of maggots in 12 foot of water about a rod length out and roughly the same distance downstream. That was followed by three balls of groundbait laced with ground maize and a touch of hemp. Then it wss time for lunch.

I call this swim The Kiosk as it is quite cramped. It is also about four foot above the waterline so I tie a cord to the landing net head in case it departs if I lift a heavy fish straight up using the extending pole.

I set up a cane Avon with a sliding float, laying on on the edge of the current using half a worm and three maggots. In the past I have had perch, roach, bream, barbel, carp, chub and crucians from here. I never know what is going to show up. Today though it was just bream, three of them.

I will have one last chance before the year is out on Saturday. Haven't decided where to go yet, but it will have to accomodate the dog as Little Wife will be in England to attend a funeral.

 

[no-one in particular]

I came, I saw , I conquered. Not quite, I had a look and didn't bother and came home. Nasty cold wind whipping across as well.

 

[Hugh Bailey]

Walked the Thames from Walton to Kingston - maybe 8 miles. Saw 3 anglers, all on the far bank - 2 at Hampton Court, so guess there are still some barbel coming out.

 

[The Sogster]

Had a day out to a local fishery with pike in mind, this water reputedly has a large number of fish with some true giants (have seen pics).
A bright day with rising pressure half had my hopes up, would've preferred a duller sky.
Tried several baits perch/ trout and smelt float legered in various swims for the first glorious blank of my pike season. Nice to know I've still got 'it'.

 

[peterjg]

My last three trips over the last week:

A brief morning go on a fast and slightly coloured Kennet. Legered flake on a size 10, first fish a nice roach of about a pound, and 3 bream of about 3lbs, 11/2lbs and 12 ozs and of course a signal crayfish. Water temperature 46F.

A day on a club lake. Caught 4 small roach on dead maggots and a decent roach on a dendra and also a perch. Water temperature only 40F.

Yesterday, a day on the K&A canal. First fish a roach of about 14ozs on layed-on flake, so often the first fish caught is the biggest. Caught another 9 roach and a perch on a dendra. Had a small bream grabbed by a pike which let go after a minute or two. Just as a group of youngsters walked past my umbrella blew out of the ground and my hat blew off - felt a right berk! Water temperature 45F.

 

[Badgerale]

Took the lure rod down to local drain. It was very high and flowing like a fast river. Wind blowing harder than forecast as well.

I knew it was a bit pointless but stuck it out for an hour. Unsurprisingly, not a nibble.

 

[John Aston]

Another successful perch day . The river was a little too coloured and turbulent to get away with a lure so legered worm it was. I normally use a bobbin but here was far too much flow, even in the slacks, so I used my Drennan 11ft quiver. As an aside , I find I'm using this rod as my go- to river rod - it feels so much more wieldy than the 12 ft jobs I've been using for years. Sport was confined to a few random knocks for a good three hours or so. At 3pm I moved swim for the fourth or fifth time .

I had 3 perch and missed two more in the hour before dusk- 3-1 , 3 -0, and 2-15 making three perch for exactly 9 lbs. An average I won't be beating any time soon, I suspect . The bites were most odd , comprising a few small knocks and then just the tiniest tweak , a good ten seconds later. If I struck the knocks I'd miss the bite but if I waited for the tweak the fish was on , and hooked barely inside the mouth . Thumping fights from each , if lacking the jeopardy of a big chub and a very, very nice way to end 2022 , which has been the best fishing year I can remember. And as I have fished since I was about five , 65 years ago , that is a very nice thing to have experienced .

 

[Steve Arnold]

Another successful perch day . The river was a little too coloured and turbulent to get away with a lure so legered worm it was. I normally use a bobbin but here was far too much flow, even in the slacks, so I used my Drennan 11ft quiver. As an aside , I find I'm using this rod as my go- to river rod - it feels so much more wieldy than the 12 ft jobs I've been using for years. Sport was confined to a few random knocks for a good three hours or so. At 3pm I moved swim for the fourth or fifth time .

I had 3 perch and missed two more in the hour before dusk- 3-1 , 3 -0, and 2-15 making three perch for exactly 9 lbs. An average I won't be beating any time soon, I suspect . The bites were most odd , comprising a few small knocks and then just the tiniest tweak , a good ten seconds later. If I struck the knocks I'd miss the bite but if I waited for the tweak the fish was on , and hooked barely inside the mouth . Thumping fights from each , if lacking the jeopardy of a big chub and a very, very nice way to end 2022 , which has been the best fishing year I can remember. And as I have fished since I was about five , 65 years ago , that is a very nice thing to have experienced .

It's great to finish a year on a high at any age! But by the time you reach 70 you know you were NEVER invincible and realise every year you are fit enough to fish is a bonus!

Just finished my best years fishing at that age. Today I am down the river again in just a few minutes!

 

[riverman]

looks nice there steve tight lines

 

[@Clive]

13C overnight rising to 18C today and dry. For once they got it right and the car had been packed last night ready for the off at 9am. Local tackle shop was closed so I detoured to a larger national chain that opened bang on 10am. There were five trays of what used to be maggots to choose from. Mostly it was casters and bran. I reckon they hadn't ordered any this week and what was there was last weeks order. I filled a hallf litre tub by taking the best few from each tray so I had squatts, pinkies, red maggots, white maggots and gozzers all in the same tub. The guy at the counter never opened the box. I reckon he was ashamed. Instead he picked the box up, shook it once and from that deduced that I owed him €3.95.

Next stop was a boulangerie where I got a quiche, apple crumble and custard flan and the nice lady gave me a pen as a momento of my visit. Then after arriving at my chosen swim all I had to do was walk the dog, put her back in the car, carry most of my stuff 200 metres to the swim, return for the rod and dog and after all that I could start fishing.

The method was simple; one rod length deep, one rod length out and one rod length downstream. Bait was applies via a dropper on my mini-spod rod.

I also invested some groundbait based on ground maize, hemp and Gros Gardons mix. The water was clear enough to see the bottom, 10 feet down and I saw my first customer enter the swim. The bite was typical bream, i.e. fannying about then bobbing a few times before the sliding float went under. The fight however was not typical bream. It actually took line. Then it realised its mistake and became a bream again.

I didn't want to waste good worms on such unworthy quarry so I put a large grain of sweetcorn on for the next cast. The bite was more decisive and the fish took off towards the far bank. I really struggled to control it and on landing the fish I saw why. Whilst it was hooked fairly somehow the line had lasooed one of its pectoral fins and that was the point of contact.

And that was it. I packed up at 3:30pm, walked the dog again and made my way home in the last of the sunshine. The local tackle shop was still closed so tomorrow on the Vienne will see a combination of dead maggots from the freezer along with half dead maggots from today.

 

[Steve Arnold]

After my last session on the river Lot had been so productive I decided to try a new swim that I had looked at on my way home from Cahors a couple of weeks ago.

Alistair wanted to fish again today so we took his Freelander, that would allow us to check out the swims along the muddy, rutted farm track further down the river.

So we did find a few more swims amongst the trees. I reckon the shorter rods may be needed as there were plenty of low hanging branches.

A few photos from the day.....

and Alistair caught the only fish of the afternoon......

With a bit of baiting I think these new swims have great potential!

Air temperature topped 17c today, river temperature was still 11c.

New Years Eve and no need for a warm jacket. Tomorrow we may be sat outside for New Years lunch with our friends, forecast says it will be even warmer!

Did I ever say I love this country!

 

[john step]

I came, I saw , I conquered. Not quite, I had a look and didn't bother and came home. Nasty cold wind whipping across as well. View attachment 25563

That doesnt look like Australia.